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IPL Semifinals Redux
By Ananth May 19 2008
Ananth reviews the standings of the various teams a couple of weeks before the semifinals and finals, and gives us his take on who the favorites are. Surprisinlgy only two out of the four likely semifinalists at this point are the ones the author had predicted at the start of the tournament. The exceptions being the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Delhi Daredevils who have blown hot and cold.

In the IPL homefield does seem to matter; most of the contending teams have an excellent home records and relatively poor away records. The only contender that has been indifferent at home/away has been the Chennai SuperKings who have identical records home and away. This could be due MS Dhoni the skipper & icon not being a local lad.

Likely semifinalists ranked in order:

1) Rajasthan: 8-2, 4 to be played.
Away: Kolkata, Chennai, Punjab
Home: Mumbai

The Royals have won all 6 home games and they have 1 more against Mumbai who've lost all their away games so far. They are already in, as I don't think more than 4 teams can win 8 games.

2) Punjab: 6-3, 5 to be played.

Away: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata
Home: Deccan, Rajasthan

Punjab have won 4 of 5 at home with 2 more home games with Deccan coming in.

3) Chennai: 6-4, 4 to be played.

Away: Kolkata, Deccan
Home: Bangalore, Rajasthan

They have identical home & road records(3-2) and they have two softies Deccan & Bangalore with Bangalore at home. The NRR is a concern, they should see if they can get Bangalore to oblige for a pistol whipping(quite possible).

4) Delhi: 5-5, 4 to be played.
Away: Bangalore
Home: Punjab, Kolkata, Mumbai

Delhi have won 3 of 4 at home with the one loss coming off the last ball and they have 3 more home games and the away game is at Bangalare. You do the math.

5) Kolkata: 5-5, 4 to be played.
Away: Delhi
Home: Chennai, Rajasthan, Punjab

They've won 3-4 at the Eden Gardens where the pitch seems to suit their attack. They should be glad that they have 3 games at home, but no game is a gimme.

6) Mumbai: 5-4, 5 to be played.
Away: Deccan, Delhi, Rajasthan, Bangalore
Home: Punjab

Mumbai can still make it, but they need to win atleast 3 more games methinks. They have won all their 5 games at home. That makes me think, they'll need a bit of a miracle. Also Dwayne Bravo probably leaves soon for the first Test against Australia.

I think we can safely say Bangalore and Deccan have no chance of making the semis.

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Re: IPL semifinalists redux
Posted by: amit (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:16:02:54:42

kolkata have already played delhi at home once, so thats 1 home game less for kolkata

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Re: IPL semifinalists redux
Posted by: kappax (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:16:22:34:42

Winning 7 games would also be good enough for No:3 & 4 to make the semis if the top guys(No:1 & 2) win all their games + if + the bottom guys win a few...

Mumbai now need to win atleast 2 of their 5 games with winning 3 making them a lock..

the game has got lot tougher for KNR now..

need to win atleast 2 and there are no easy games... All top teams and they may win 1 and if lucky 2 of the 4 more games...

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Re: IPL semifinalists redux
Posted by: ananthd (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:16:23:58:40

I have updated in Birbal. Feel free to convert it. No attribution necesary.

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Re: IPL semifinalists redux
Posted by: kappax (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:17:03:43:23

MSD is not officially an Icon player. though practically he is unlike the other official Icon players smiling smiley

But Chennai needs to be careful as even a bit of slacking can mean they miss out on semis as their NRR is pretty bad... that can't happen as Chennai is detined to win the IPL title as their ICL guys did...

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Re: IPL semifinalists redux
Posted by: kappax (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:19:09:31:48

winning 8 games each may not be enough for teams if Delhi wins all its next 3...

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Re: IPL Semifinals Redux
Posted by: Birbal (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:19:16:56:39

Kolkata not making the Semis is somewhat understandable...

They have JACK @#$%& in terms of Batting

Delhi is a strange case...they have the BEST openers... a strong middle and superb bowlers in McGrath, Asif, Maharoof, etc... it seems Sehwag and/or Coach Shipperd have not been doing their homework...

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ICL Ko Support Karo Yaro...

BCCI Ko Joote Chappal Maro....

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Re: IPL Semifinals Redux
Posted by: Birbal (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:19:17:34:26

Delhi now blow HOT again...

But to be fair it was against Bangalore the WORST team in the league...

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ICL Ko Support Karo Yaro...

BCCI Ko Joote Chappal Maro....

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Re: IPL Semifinals Redux
Posted by: flamy (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:19:17:35:41

Pappu Duh-Duh inspires Kolkata to a holiday?

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Re: IPL Semifinals Redux
Posted by: Birbal (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:19:17:39:41

Ganguly's team BEAT Delhi... if you care to remember...

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ICL Ko Support Karo Yaro...

BCCI Ko Joote Chappal Maro....

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Re: IPL Semifinals Redux
Posted by: flamy (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:19:20:42:00

Even BRC beat Bombay, but who shall be the final 4?

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Re: IPL Semifinals Redux
Posted by: Birbal (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:19:21:33:05

BRC is NOT...it does not even have a STATISTICAL CHANCE anymore...smiling smiley

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ICL Ko Support Karo Yaro...

BCCI Ko Joote Chappal Maro....

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Re: IPL Semifinals Redux
Posted by: flamy (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:19:21:36:42

Could you expect anything less from Pappu Dravid? smiling smiley

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Re: IPL Semifinals Redux
Posted by: Birbal (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:28:19:21:10

Ananth gets it spot on this time... Delhi makes it but Kolkata and Mumbai don't...

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ICL Ko Support Karo Yaro...

BCCI Ko Joote Chappal Maro....

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Re: IPL Semifinals Redux
Posted by: Anil (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:28:22:02:51

Wow.. nice prediction work here by Ananth!

Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan and Chennai - 3 from way up north and 1 from way down south, nothing in between! That might mean something if there was any locality to the teams. At least Delhi and Punjab have home town boys running their teams.

If not for umpire Shastri, Mumbai should have made it. After Bhajji's exit they seemed to turn around pretty quickly.

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Re: IPL Semifinals Redux
Posted by: round rock (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:29:10:00:14

chennai looks distinctly weeker among the top 4. most likely punjab and rajasthan will meet in finals

http://gotethnicfoods.com/pictures/Regular/FZDPISTC.jpg

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Re: IPL Semifinals Redux
Posted by: Birbal (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:29:17:08:34

Delhi are the wild cards then?

They have a formidable opening combo in Gambo and Veeru and Terrific bowling in McGrath, Maharoof, Asif, Yo Mahesh, Mishra...

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ICL Ko Support Karo Yaro...

BCCI Ko Joote Chappal Maro....

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Re: IPL Semifinals Redux
Posted by: kappax (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:30:14:13:27

Well the same weak chennai team defeated Kings XI a week or so back...

so its is 50-50...

its like Chennai like Kings XI bowling...

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Re: IPL Semifinals Redux
Posted by: Birbal (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:30:22:13:14

Wild Card got discarded...

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ICL Ko Support Karo Yaro...

BCCI Ko Joote Chappal Maro....

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